A different kind of unprecedented loss

I just returned from an event that I know will change my life in some ways, forever. I was honored to be part of the team feeding those firefighters and police who were dealing with the tragic loss of 19 firefighters at the Yarnell Hill wildfire just outside of Prescott, Arizona on June 30, 2013. It was a sad and difficult duty, yet one at which I am not only honored but proud to have served. I have often worked with firefighters as well as police and the communities of these men and women are so very different than that of any other collection of people. Many other communities are closed, meaning they separate themselves from outsiders simply because they talk "shop" with one another at length and therefore separate themselves from the laymen who may wander into conversations. A good example of this is the medical community.

But those whose lives, by the very nature of their work, are risked on a daily basis is another group altogether. Those who run into burning buildings, towards 100 foot long flames, or find it necessary to dress themselves in body armor each day are certainly a different breed. This event, a fire near the small town of Yarnell, Arizona, has caused one of the great tragedies of recent history. So many, no... most of the young men who lost their lives were in their twenties, just starting out in life, two had babies on the way, and several had small children. The sadness has reverberated across our nation but most of all through the State of Arizona and even more throughout the family of first responders.

Our part was small, just feeding those who had come to help the families of the fallen in their need. (Although to hear the fire guys tell it, we were one the most important pieces to the event) It was helpful that 4 out of 5 of our team preparing food were also trained in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) as well as Emotional and Spiritual Care (ESC) Because of this we could spot people who were having difficulty processing the events of that day and help them to deal with it. Personally, I know I was able to "defuse" several folks who were struggling. I will be forever grateful to The Salvation Army for providing the training needed to assist people in need.

The morning of the memorial service we fed more than 900 people breakfast, most of them honor guard from all over the US and even beyond. If you were able to watch on television that memorial service, you saw and heard the largest contingent of honor guard and pipe and drum corps ever assembled play Amazing Grace. I was inside the auditorium and it was one of the most remarkable events I've ever witnessed. These folks came, many at their own expense, to be a part of honoring their fallen brothers. I get it. I attempted to do what Jesus told us to do, to mourn with those who mourn and weep with those who weep. No problem with either of those two elements. Rivers of tears were shed in front of me this past week by big men who aren't supposed to weep and by normally detached personnel who can usually handle any difficult situation. They may not have known the victims of this tragedy, yet they called them brothers. They may have suffered great loss in their lives prior to this, yet the loss of these 19 men has brought them to their knees.

Five of the victims all attended one church, simply called the "Heights" by local Prescott folks. The Heights worked with us to provide lunch to the ICP (Incident Command Post) on a daily basis. They wanted their people to heal and being involved in this issue was certainly healing. My hats off to their team of volunteers who gave of themselves daily to feed those present.  These things take their toll in many ways, sometimes not until much later. I will pray for those who were there as well as for the families of the fallen for a very long time to come. I will also pray for the lone survivor, Brendon, who will undoubtedly carry around the guilt (even though he bears absolutely no responsibility)  for not having perished with his comrades.

I am only writing this because it will help me heal. You see I too felt pain at this loss. I too have wept for those who have perished and for their families, their friends and their children. I could never pretend to know why these horrible events happen, but they do. Knowing that, we should rush to the sides of those who do not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is merely to share the truth with them, They must make the choice to believe or not. These 19 men died in a blazing fire that was probably upwards of 2500 degrees. But most of them knew Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so that fire was momentary. Imagine suffering through that forever. My desire is that no one should ever endure that, and the only thing that will make that happen to them is the pride someone may possess in denying the saving power of Jesus.

This was a loss that not happened for quite a while and its impact was felt around the globe. But we should feel this same loss and same grief at every single soul that perishes without the knowledge of the Lord. We should weep just as much for each baby that is killed by abortion. These are the losses that we could stop, yet we do nothing. I weep for our nation that has condoned murder and denies the ability of God to heal us, to heal our hearts. I hope we will all grieve for the Yarnell 19. But even more than that, I hope that we will all move to stop the unwitting loss that happens every day throughout our once great nation, yet has turned its back on its God, Who will, according to His word, heal our land if we will just come back to Him. Without Him we will most certainly experience an absolutely unprecedented loss.

The Kingdom of God

"The Kingdom of God"......what a very interesting phrase. The phrase itself appears 70 times in the bible. All in the New Testament. 5 X in Matthew, 15 in Mark, 2 in John, 33 whopping times in Luke, 7 in Acts (which also was written by Luke) so Luke accounts for 40 of the total appearances. And Paul mentions the phrase 8 times in 5 different books. The total number of times Jesus is mentioned speaking this phrase was 46 times. So it's no wonder why the disciples used it so much. But Luke was an after the fact disciple. He wasn't one of the twelve. Yet he records it more than any of the others and he also records Jesus using it more than any of the others. So from all this, I must deduct that either it was a popular phrase in 1st century Israel or Luke just was taken with it and decided it was so descriptive of what Jesus was attempting to get across to the masses that he would use it a lot. But Jesus is recorded making a particular statement regarding the Kingdom of God that has always intrigued me. He said in Luke 17: Luke 17:20-21 20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." So here we have the Pharisees once again attempting to either confuse Jesus or discredit Him. They were the ones who knew about God and the prophets and they didn't want this carpenter to make claims that were unfounded. They may have been trying to get Him to say something on which they could jump. But never forget that they were looking for Messiah and they were expecting a political or military leader to arise to throw out evil Rome and come to the rescue of the downtrodden, not a spiritual leader who simply ignored the things of the political world. Now someone who only was concerned with the Kingdom of God. Here's a little exercise that may help you to understand what it is to be in the kingdom of God.....or else it may drive you absolutely nuts. Try to describe your spirit. Do you even believe that you have a spirit? Do you think that your spirit is separate from your soul? If they're different how are they different? And if those two are different, how are they different from our physical body? Now if you have a good idea in your mind about that, think about this....how is your spirit different from the person sitting next to you or in front of you? You can easily see how your physical body is different, but does your spirit look different as well? How would your spirit differ from the spirit of some great hero of the church? Would it look different from Paul's spirit? How so? How about Mother Teresa's? These are just some things to dwell on when you consider what it is like in the kingdom of God. One final one....What will Jesus look like when you meet Him face to face? The church leaders of Jesus' day did not expect Him to look the way he did. They wanted a warrior who would take out the Romans. He is not at all what they expected, yet they were very well versed in what and who He should be. I think we will all be surprised when we find out the truth of things. Today we look for the Lord's return and many are disappointed that He has not done so as of yet and no two Christians will agree on what that will look like. In fact I'm always surprised when I find two Christians agreeing on anything. But I would say to those who look for Him in the air...."The kingdom of God is within you". Jesus basically said you won't find it by seeing it right in front of you. Remember this was the same One Who said "seek and you will find." He also said 3 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Matt 13:13 So we must interpret from this that there is a way other than seeing and hearing to discover the things of God, the Kingdom of God. We sang this morning about the eyes of our heart. Now of course our hearts don't have eyes, but we all do have spiritual eyes that are, or at least should be attuned to the spiritual world. But what exactly is the Kingdom of God? If God is the creator of all things, then doesn't the Kingdom of God include all things? Well, from this I would say at least everything that's in you. Well of course God's kingdom includes everything in the universe, although He has given up rule of this earth to our enemy and hasn't he done just a fine job with that. What we must understand is that we are not of this world, even though we live in this world. We belong to the kingdom of God. We have spoken for quite some time about our relationship with God and how by having a deep close relationship with Him we can take on His very personality and develop some of His marvelous traits, ending in the most important part of Him, love. To accomplish that would certainly be to live in the kingdom of God. When Jesus spoke of living water, we must consider what exactly that meant. It's found in two places, the first being when He met the woman at the well. She was surprised that He being a Jew would even speak to her because she was a Samaritan, a dreaded half breed. But instead He said this: John 4:10 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." Well she quickly asked where do you get this stuff? His answer was simple: John 4:13-14 13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Well maybe not so simple. This must have confused her a great deal. But what Jesus was saying to her then and to us today is that this is the water that we drink in the Kingdom of God. It is knowledge of God. It's refreshing because no matter what your situation, it can bring a peace like no other place. It strengthens you in a way nothing else can and it prepares you like nothing else can for any situation. I believe that Jesus prepared His disciples for revolution, but not in the traditional sense of revolution. If the kingdom of God was that for which we were to strive, then winning the war, winning the revolution would be found within ourselves as well. The revolution is a battle that is enjoined by ourselves, against ourselves and is won, in part, by drinking some living water. That Living water is a wonderful thing, and can only be obtained in one place. But I told you that the bible speaks of living water in two different places. The second one is a little later in: John 7:37-38 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." Now the first one was about receiving living water and this one is about an outflow of living water. But lest we be conflicted about this at all, John explains what Jesus means by this. John 7:39 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. You see we cannot receive Jesus unless the Holy Spirit, God Himself is involved and we cannot give Jesus unless God, the Holy Spirit is involved. Our spirit is unable to do anything apart from Christ. But it is even more than that. We are unable to live in the Spirit unless God be involved. Now you may well ask, "How is it possible that we can live in this world and not be of this world?" and I believe that's a fair question. When I asked you what you think your spirit looked like, it was to make you think about that because it should look different now than before you knew Christ. Jesus said the Holy Spirit, this living water would do this: John 16:13 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. But the goal is not that we get new information, but that we see things differently and therefore our hearts are different and our spirits are different. Paul was so convinced of this change that he said we need not even consider each other in the flesh, but in the spirit alone. 2 Cor 5:16-17 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. This should excite you and make you jump for joy that we are not in the flesh, but that we have been changed into spiritual beings by merely drinking some living water. This should excite you that life is happening all around you and no matter when Jesus is returning, we are one day closer to that. And it should excite you that you have the possibility to have a close relationship with the King of Kings, not in some pie in the sky sort of transcendental manner, but a one on one relationship that will help you overcome all the difficulties you encounter in this life and enable you to draw others to God by what you have learned and to give them some of that living water and lead them forward into the kingdom of God. You have His word on it.

Thank You

I have spent a lot of time in the past few years assisting people in realizing one of the most important things a person can have in their life, their goals. I firmly believe that without goals no one can move ahead in their lives. We are unable to prosper. For without goals you will meet one of the criteria for living in that situation we refer to as "lost".

Lost is one of three things; not knowing where you have been, not knowing where you are or not knowing where you are going. Without goals firmly planted in your mind, you cannot possibly know where you are going. You will be relegated to that group that will believe "every wind of doctrine". Goals are shaped by your beliefs and then executed by your heart. That's why it is said regarding some, "they had great heart." Those who have great heart are able to accomplish great goals. But if someone has no goals, no matter how great their heart, nothing would be done, nothing accomplished. I have set many goals over the years and some I have accomplished and all of the ones that have been accomplished, were accomplished only through the power of God. I do not believe that anyone is able to accomplish anything unless God either allows it or assists it. Therefore God is present in all situations, and yes, even the bad ones. One of my goals, and I am sure the loftiest goal, as a pastor is to assist people in their search either to find Christ or to draw nearer to Him. There really is no other reason for my existence in the role in which God has placed me. I sincerely hope that in everything I do that God is glorified and thereby people see Him a bit more clearly. My greatest goal is to point to Him in everything I do. I think I discovered something this week that I have been unable in all my time on earth, to be able to describe in any sermon, or message or conversation or letter. I think this is a true revelation of something very important. It is the secret to a happy life. I want to share this with everyone, for I believe that we all have a desire to be happy. Some people would fool you on that account for they look always as though they just walked away from a train wreck. They look always dazed and confused. Their countenance is down continually and every attempt to cheer them or make them smile is met with a look that screams, "Just leave me alone".

Folks, happiness is a choice. And although it may not be a conscious choice, it is a choice nonetheless. Whenever an unconscious choice is made, it is accomplished because of an attitude that is owned or is at least prevalent in the very psyche of the one making that choice. In those who would own an attitude of extreme happiness, it is first necessary to own an attitude of gratitude. We must learn to be thankful. Now many will say that I am over simplifying the key to happiness, but I struggled with this quite a bit and I am absolutely convinced that being grateful for everything that happens to you is the most important key to any and all happiness in your life. I read a quote while researching this subject by a man named Emmet Fox. Mr. Fox stated, "Bless a thing and it will bless you, curse it and it will curse you... if you bless a situation, it has no power to hurt you, and even if it is troublesome for a time, it will gradually fade out, if you sincerely bless it." I would add to this that it doesn't matter if something is permanently troublesome or painful, blessing it, being grateful for it will remove forever its power over you to make you feel its pain. Now are there things in my own life I wish hadn't happened? Are there things I wish I hadn't done? Of course there are. We all have pain and we all have regrets. But understanding that we must each take possession of our own lives will help us to understand that we must learn to be grateful for what happens in that span of years we call a lifetime. All of it, without exception.

For example, I lost everything I had in one day back in 1994. I found myself without a family, a home, a car or even clothes other than what I had packed in a suitcase I owned. No books, no computer, no phone. At that moment I wasn't very grateful for my situation and I grew angry at not only the situation, but at God, those who were trying to comfort me, those who had caused the situation, and anyone who came close to me. But as some time passed, I learned to be grateful for the events of that day because it turned out that God had plans for my life of which I knew nothing. That day was a turning point in my life. And although it seemed as though it was a turning point toward hell, it was most certainly a turning towards heaven. I am now able to be grateful for that day and the events that happened then, because if they had not happened exactly as they did, I can safely say that I wouldn't be where I am today being blessed abundantly in so many ways by the same God I thought had abandoned me that day. The thing that I missed then, but know now is that had I blessed that day immediately and begun to seek all the ways in which God was leading me, I wouldn't have wasted so much time wallowing in self pity. Paul wrote this to the church in Thessolonika:
1 Thess 5:18 "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you"
Really? God wills that I might be tortured and even killed for believing in Him? That's what the church there was facing. Paul was saying that if it happens, then God allowed it and so then, be grateful for it. If we believe in God, then we should understand that all things come from God, directly or indirectly, ordained or allowed. Jesus said that the two commandments were love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. We all get that, we all understand that these are the things we need to do and that by doing these two things we keep all the law and acknowledge all the things in all prophecy. So how do we love God with all our hearts if we fail to show gratitude to Him when we are experiencing difficulties in our lives? How can we truly love our neighbor as ourselves if we fail to thank them for the pain that might be caused by them? Even when it is great pain. For example, if someone breaks into your house and steals your television set, a brand new 42" flatscreen that you just got a few weeks before in order to watch the upcoming football season. Then they catch the guy. The tv is gone, but they have evidence that this is the guy. The police are going to allow you to speak to the man who did this, So what are you going to say to him? You have choice. You can either get in his face and scream about what a horrible person he is and how all thieves will burn in hell and on and on and on........or you could simply tell him that you forgive him and thank him because since he stole your television you've had more time to get into the word of God and draw near to Him. And then you could tell him about the love of God for him as well. Which of these scenarios would be loving God and loving your neighbor? Which would be more likely to bring someone who obviously doesn't know the Lord to at least a place where he might be made aware of God's love? Anger never shows God's love, nor does it ever put us in a place where God's light is shone on a dark situation. Is being grateful for a tough situation even logical? Not in man's or the world's economy, but in God's economy it makes perfect sense. Dietrich Bohhoeffer wrote, while imprisoned in a Nazi prison, "Gratitude changes the pangs of memory to a tranquil joy." He was hanged while incarcerated in prison. Bonhoeffer was a protestant pastor who stood up against Hitler. He lived in God's economy. The doctor who witnessed his death and attested to it, wrote, “I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer... kneeling on the floor praying fervently to God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the few steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.” The Pilgrims escaped religious persecution in England, fleeing to America in 1620. In that first winter they dug 7 times as many graves than built places in which to live. They were the poorest Americans who have ever lived in North America, barely eeking out enough food to keep themselves alive. Yet the one thing that everyone knows about them is that they set apart a day to thank God because they were grateful for where they were. And they shared what they had and had fellowship with the first Americans who joined them in that thanks to God. We all have trials and tribulations, but if we are to move past those things that are difficult, then we must be grateful for those trials, and bless the trials, laugh at those difficulties that seem too difficult to move past. And then carry on to what God has prepared for us. When my wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and I was told that she wouldn't be leaving the hospital in which she lay, that hospice needed to be called, I first told the doctor who spoke those words of doom to me that he wasn't in charge of life and death, but I knew who was. And because I had learned the lessons of gratitude I thanked God for giving me this woman who had given me so much joy in the last few years. I let Him know that if He chose to take her home to be with Him, I was OK with that and I would simply be grateful for the time we had together. I would rather He let me have her for a while longer, but it was up to Him, not me. I was just blessed to have her for as long as I had. As I write this I can hear her rattling some pots and pans as she does the dishes in the next room. I'm not saying that gratitude saved her life, but knowing that I would have been grateful either way, helped me get through it a bit easier just as she was grateful for more life on this earth. Gratitude doesn't make any problems or trials or tribulations disappear, but it most certainly makes them more bearable. And in fact, as Bonnoeffer wrote gratitude will change those difficult times, those pangs of memory into a tranquil joy. Gratitude brings joy, gratitude brings peace and for that you have His word on it.

Good God...good man

We have all experienced things in our lives that we attribute to the goodness of God because they were blessings and they were good, and we have all experienced things in our lives that were…not so much. They were painful and we wanted them to just end, because not many really desire to live in pain and suffering.
Now you have to know that I’m going to speak to you about how God is present in the midst of suffering….and He is. And you have to know that I’m going to speak to you about how God will bring you through the troubles, but not necessarily take those troubles away from us. But there is so much more to the goodness of God that we must understand and there is so much more to the goodness of man, or lack thereof, that we must also understand if we are to have a relationship with the Creator.
I’m a word guy and I do believe that if we fail to look closely at the original words in the original languages that are used in the bible then we will understand less of what God intends for us and we may miss out on some very good things because of our failure to research properly. I realize that not everyone who is reading the bible has access to the same research materials I do, so that’s why we all get together at church or bible studies to talk about these things.
In the New Testament there are two Greek words that are used for good, Agathos and Kalos. Agathos means good that comes from within and might be used, to describe an intrinsically good person. Kalos describes a beautiful thing or person, one that is morally upright and might do good deeds. And it is important I think that we understand these differences so we can better understand how our relationship with God might be affected. Matthew gives us a good selection of both words. Everyone remembers the story of the rich young ruler;
Mt 19:16-17
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"
17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Remember that Jesus told him to keep all the commandments, oh!, and added on that he should sell all he owned, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. The man walked away sorrowful because he had many possessions. All of these “goods” are the words Agathos, which means intrinsically good.
So no one is good except for God. Do you believe that? How dare Jesus say that there is no one good! I must take exception. Well, not really. Here’s an explanation that makes sense to me. And I hope it makes sense to you as well. I know some people who seem to be really good. They do a lot of good in this world and if it were true that no one is good then we are most certainly without hope.
Let’s stay in the book of Matthew but look at
Mt 7:15-20
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Let’s look closely at this scripture for within these six verses lies a plethora of information. First of all, we must understand that very evil people can look just like very holy people. When Jesus speaks of false prophets, I am quite sure He wasn’t speaking only of those who speak to what is to come but rather those who speak of spiritual matters but are really only materialistic or after other earthly goals. They desire the things of the world and are willing to use the children of God to obtain them.
He said that we would know them by their fruits and I am positive that doesn’t mean that they will or will not have huge ministries or big churches or thousands or even millions of followers. Both truth and deceit can go either way. There are many who are easily deceived and they desire to go along with the crowd and feel good about themselves. That is all that’s important to them. And there are small churches or ministries that may deceive as well.
That should never be. We are all responsible for what we do as far as our own spiritual walk. You won’t be able on judgment day to point to someone else and say, “But Lord, he told me…..” Each one of us must study on our own and if we are at odds with some teaching that is given us, it is our duty to confront the one teaching and say, “Explain why you think this”.
The fruits Jesus told us to look at are not necessarily the works of those who are possible false teachers, for good works may be part of the façade. I work in a lot of disasters and trust me, there are many false teachers out there doing wonderful things for people and that even in the name of Jesus. But the fruit of which Jesus speaks is both the teaching itself and the results of that teaching.
As Christians what we speak should always point to Christ, as Christ always pointed to the Father. The Father brings everything back to us. The most important verse in this section is;
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
There are also two words for bad, one meaning intrinsically bad (sapros) and one meaning ugly or just plain nasty(poneros) So this verse could be read like this: An agathos tree cannot bear poneros fruit nor can a sapros tree bear kalos fruit.
So what we must understand is what makes a good tree and what makes a bad tree. A good tree is one who is filled with the Sprit of God. A real Christian, one who is producing good fruit, is one who is led by the Spirit, filled with the spirit and has a productive relationship with God. One who continually puts others before himself, one who is a servant, who is humble and one who seeks constantly ways in which his time on this earth can truly please God. And foremost it is a person who constantly seeks to find and then do the will of God. For if we are seeking to be filled with the Spirit of God we will be filled with the goodness of God…..and we will become Agathos.
That’s why Jesus said there is only one who is good. If we are not filled with Him and His wonderful goodness, with Agathos then we cannot be called good. And if we cannot be called good, there is but one other option and that is bad. That is evil. That is sapros. And a sapros tree bears poneros fruit. A bad tree bears bad fruit….and what did Jesus say about that?
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Now, please understand that Jesus doesn’t expect everyone who is a believer to be able to stand behind a pulpit and preach or teach and not everyone who is a Christian is expected to go to the mission field and save thousands, start an orphanage, build a part of the new Jerusalem, or even make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. None of that is important if that is not your calling.
What is important is your calling. And all of us are called to at least two of the same things. Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. And if you love God with all your heart, you will seek Him, you will seek his will in all you do.
This ain’t rocket science, but it is much more important than rocket science.
Look at the next verse in this, for it is extremely important to how we interpret what we just read.
Mt 7:21-22
21 "Not everyone who says to Me,'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
The ones who will enter the kingdom of heaven are the ones who do the will of the Father. He’s explaining that the works you do, whether you prophesy, cast out demons or do many wonders, and ALL in the name of Jesus, if they are not the Father’s will for you, they are all for nothing. The scariest part of the whole thing is the very next verse….
Mt 7:23
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
We need to discover just exactly what God’s will is for us and then go do it. We need to uncover that mission in our life and get to it. We may not have much time and we’ve probably wasted too much of it already.
Is your life teetering on some difficulty right now? Do you want to make it better? Get in God’s will. Seek Him….not just with words, but with actions. And not later, but right now and do it with some passion. Like my father used to say, “Look like you mean it!” You may think that by coming to church on Sunday and praying a couple of times a week is enough, but if that’s you, you are just playing Christian. Are you ready to get serious? Are you ready to surrender?
God doesn’t want us to be lackadaisical. He wants spirit filled people who are on fire. I feel a move of the spirit happening and I can’t shake the feeling that things are about to erupt into a wonderful demonstration of God’s love and His magnificent power that we will remember forever as when things really began to move in the end times. If you don’t know how to be involved, but want to, ask me, I’ll show you.
Get ready church, to be part of a move of God that will be one of those things that we will loudly proclaim to the Lord when we meet Him and say, “Father, do you remember when I…..? And He will look you squarely in the eye and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter now into your reward.”
You have His word on it.

Fear

This is a rather long post, but I got involved the other day with a friend whose life is controlled by fear....and he is a Christian. This just shouldn't be.
Franklin Roosevelt is quoted having said in a famous radio broadcast, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” And although that is a wonderful platitude that is meant to inspire courage and trust in a time that our country was facing a great crisis, it really means nothing.
We all have fear at some point in our lives, and if we don’t we are stupid. There is nothing wrong with having fear, but it is knowing what to do in times of fear that is important. Anyone who tells you that they have never been afraid has spent their entire life in a very sheltered condition, and they are afraid to leave that place of shelter….so they know fear too!
Peter the Apostle was a man who for the most part didn’t have much fear. If he had a pickup truck he probably would have had one of those stickers in the back window that said, “NO FEAR” Peter was a man who also was, to say the least, a bit impetuous. We all remember the story of Jesus walking on the sea;
Mt 14:25-31
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Like I said, Peter was an impetuous guy. But let’s look at the entire scene. It was the 4th watch of the night. That means it was somewhere between 3 and 6 AM. It was dark and they were in a wind tossed sea and though it doesn’t show it in these selected verses just before this, it says that the wind was contrary, which means that it was against them.
Verse 30 says that the wind was “boisterous” and the word used here is a word that means very powerful or mighty. So here’s a bunch of guys in a fishing boat in a huge lake in the middle of the night and a very powerful wind is tossing their boat around while they are trying to sail across the big lake (the sea of Galilee) to the other side. It doesn’t say it, but there must have been a moon, for they were able to see Jesus.
And when they did see Him, they became afraid. Imagine that. Here they are in the middle of the night on a lake and someone comes toward you walking on the water. Not something you see every day. Fear struck them and I imagine their skin was crawling and there was nowhere to run. At least if they were on land, they could all take off, but not in the water.
Now Jesus knew that they were afraid, otherwise He wouldn’t have said, “Don’t be afraid.” But the word that is written that is interpreted, “be of good cheer” is a word that implies comfort, like a mother comforting a child. “It’s OK sweetie, everything is alright.” There is another word that is very close to this one that means “to exercise courage” but this one means to have courage, don’t be afraid and is just a word conveying comfort. And then He uses the familiar phrase ego emi, which can mean “I am or I exist or it is I”. Remember, that’s the phrase that Jesus used when the Pharisees all wanted to stone Him.
Anyway, back to the boat. It has always struck me as strange that Peter said, “If it’s you, Lord, just tell me to come and I’ll come.” I know that John was in the boat that night. And He wrote later to “test the spirits, whether they are of God.” (John 4:1) I wonder if this is what Peter was doing. Anyway Peter asked and Jesus invited. This may have been Peter the impetuous or just Peter waiting to exercise his faith. Because when Jesus did say, “Come” and nothing more, Peter got out of the boat. Now we hear much about how he sank, but always remember that Peter was the only one who stepped out of the boat. To have faith like that, to trust in anyone to do what we would normally see as impossible is to overcome fear. Because the best way to remove fear is to have trust in someone who you know will protect you.
Fear can overcome our faith and in so very many situations. We as humans can have so many fears. Fear of being alone, fear of death, fear of rejection, fear of being misunderstood, fear of pain, not having financial security, failure, the unknown, not knowing God’s will or even knowing God’s will, man, or even scarier…woman. And the scariest thing of all…..Relationships.
Some people have one of these fears. Some have many. To have even one would be difficult, but to have a bunch of these and to live within the confines of these kinds of prisons is to say the least, horrible. I can guarantee that God does not want us to live like that.
So how do we overcome fear? Perhaps it would be easier to discuss how we manage to invite fear into our lives. Now please understand that fear is not altogether a bad thing. God built it into our very being so that we would become cautious. If you’re out walking in a dangerous place, it’s a good thing to be cautious. A little fear will contribute to that caution. Be safe. But if your fear makes you curl up in a ball and lie in the ground then your fear has overcome you.
We all have fear in our lives and that's alright. Fear is nothing of which we should be ashamed. It is how we handle that fear that is important.There are so many things in this world that may spawn fear, but it is up to us to discover the truth of who is in control. And that is the key. This key has a few different notches in it that all work together to open the lock that is held together by fear.
The first is truth. Truth is not whatever you think it might be, not what you think it is. Truth is what it is. Jesus was quite clear and spoke with not the slightest trace of ambiguity when He said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” He is the truth and there can only be one truth. We must never lose sight of that.
The second notch is faith. It’s that two edged sword of which I have spoken so often. Not merely believing in that which is not seen but making that unseen believable by your actions and deeds. When people can see Jesus in you they can see Jesus. When you know the truth, your faith is made clear in your life.
And the last notch is trust. We must learn to trust the one who has brought us the truth. And if you truly have faith, if you really own faith in that truth then your trust will be wholeheartedly in Him. It’s really easy to speak this, but to know that the truth is in your heart can only come to light by how that truth is revealed in you. It could be that if you have fear operating in your life, then you really don’t trust in God. Your faith is not where it needs to be because the truth you understand is not the truth that Christ has revealed.
Fear is a tool of the devil. It is used by him to keep you from operating at the fullness in which God desires you to operate. It is meant to keep you from being filled with the Holy Spirit and developing fully your relationship with God. It used by the enemy to make you believe a lie.
God woulld prefer to be involved in helping you overcome your fear, but we have to have a relationship with Him in order to have that happen. Our relationship with God must begin when we wake up and when we have that first cup of coffee and when we are going to work, and when we are doing the most enjoyable things we can do. He wants to share with us those times as well as the times of difficulty and suffering and pain and fear. He wants to be involved in our lives in a way that will give us the fullness of whom He is, in a way that will give us the fullness of who we can become, and it can only happen when we lose our fear due to our relationship with Him.
You have His word on it.

Rockin' on the Rock

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of going down to Phoenix and participate in a Christian Rock festival. My disaster team's mobile kitchen was deployed and just a couple of us were employed in feeding the musicians. There were about 70-80 bands and some of them were big name Christian groups. Kutless was among them, as well as a few others of whom I had heard, but had not heard. Feeding people is a great way to get to know people....everyone wants to be your friend when you have food. I thought it might be a great time to witness to some young people, but they had that covered and I have to say that when I spoke to some of the musicians about the Lord, I was literally "preaching to the choir" albeit an unusual choir.

Although I didn't necessarily care for some of the music....(I'm old) I loved their attitudes. I stood backstage with the front man from a band from Canada (I can't remember any of the band names, but his was Jason)

and we told jokes to each other. He told me a "Neufie" joke (big in Canada) and I told him a couple that were equally as unfunny. We both pretended to laugh and thoroughly enjoyed one another's company. God's people are great to get to know and it doesn't matter the setting. I have an idea that Heaven will be a place that surprises a bunch of us. God has certainly made a patchwork of personalities with which to decorate His kingdom. We all stand on the same rock and it's pretty solid and there's room enough for everyone. How cool is that?

The Highway

With the engine of my Harley screaming loudly (I like it like that....loud pipes save lives) I rolled down highway 60, a definite back road, for 994 miles to visit my daughter and grandchlidren in Tyler, Texas. There are two things, (well there a whole bunch more) that can happen on the road. You can sit and just enjoy the ride or you can contemplate God as well as enjoy the ride. I chose to do the latter. Somewhere in New Mexico I

stopped to take some pictures of a beautiful array of clouds that had positioned themselves around a fantastic mountain in the not too far distance.

I shouted with glee and praised God for His mighty wonders. (Big bang indeed) and I rode on. Not too far from that I came upon the U.S. government's Very Large Array of radio telescopes. (It's where the movie "Contact" with Jodie Foster was made) It is our governments attempt to discover sounds, contacts, etc. from aliens and extra terrestrial beings. A fantasmagoric waste of taxpayer dollars. (I took some pictures there as well)
As I contemplated the incredible contrast between God's beauty and man's inability to accept God on His terms, I decided to go with God. Now, I know that some who may read this will think, "Well he's just another religious nut." I used to go with the array of telescopes rather than the beauty of the array of clouds of the world, but as I began to question my own existence and why we are here, it all began to make sense. God gave us what we see as a gift. We could not, cannot, nor will we ever be able to create anything that can come even close to the beauty of His creation. If you aren't aware of HIm and what He did, do a little research on your own. But you have to be objective and look at every angle. Perhap it will make sense to you too. I hope so.
By the way, the visit with my daughter and grandchildren was great, but they sure keep it hot and muggy in Texas.

Letting Go

It's the middle of the night and I just can't sleep. I have so many things going on in my life and all I can do is bounce from one to another and hope I get some of them right. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with 450 teenagers. I love youth councils (the Salvation Army name for this gathering of kids, some of whom know and have a relationship with the Lord and some who don't) Most come from difficult, to say the least, situations. Typical of Salvation Army youth. Poor, neglected, absent parents, who may be there physically but not involved with their kids for a million different reasons. To reach some of these kids is pretty tough. They have their walls built and they, without being aware of it, are headed toward a repeat of their parent's lives. (Aren't we all?)
I have been praying that God would use me to help facilitate a change so at least one or some, learn to make good decisions.
My disaster crew is feeding 250 firemen who are doing a weekend long wildland fire exercise. I really wanted to be involved with this, but can't be two places at once. I know my team can do it alone, I just can't let go. But this is not their first rodeo and they will do fine.
My first love is teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus, though and I won't be able to do that this weekend either. I'll be with those kids. My wife is not quite ready to preach yet after her cancer treatments, so I am letting a lady who is quite capable, preach in my stead. It's her first time in many years. (She was once a Salvation Army officer) but hasn't stood behind a pulpit for quite a while. But God has put her in a place to be the one who can shine His light in our little Outpost this weekend. I know she will do well too!
I have also been tossing and turning all night wondering what I have forgotten for our motorcycle rally at the end of May. If anyone has any tips for letting go of things, please let me know. I'm not a worrier, and I try not to be a micro-manager, but why tonight??? Well, I just don't know.
So I will depart tomorrow morning on my motorcycle for a 5 hour journey across the beautiful state of Arizona and let those things I cannot be present for physically be taken care of by the One who is really in charge. What a great life I have.
Thanks for being a shoulder.

Sadness and Joy

I'm a biker. OK, I admit it, not the ride into the village and burn everything you see kind of biker that's portrayed in some movies, but one who more like all the bikers that are out there kind of biker. We are normal, loving, compassionate and pretty nice people. Today, after chucrh, I attended a memorial service for a fellow biker who was killed last week when the rider, for no apparent reason went straight as the road curved. They hit a wall and Kathy was killed. She was on the back and her boyfriend, Jimmy was very seriously injured. I only knew her slightly because she worked at the hospital where I was a chaplain. I had spoken with her only briefly a few times. I never shared Christ with her and I am told she knew the Lord so at least I won't have that to live with.
We are all diminished by someone's passing. And in the biker community, we grieve greatly for the loss of a brother or sister. But as I told a few today our loss is heaven's gain. But as I thik about the few meetings I had with her, I keep asking myself, "Why didn't I ask her if she knew the Lord?" Isn't it my duty (I preached on that today) to tell everyone about Jesus? It's not only my duty, it's an honor to tell others about the joy I hold in my heart. And I am joyous, I am so elated that God calls me "son" and if I am so happy, why isn't that the first question out of my mouth when I meet someone? If that the thing that makes you joyous, don't you want others to be joyous too? Wouldn't you tell someone if they were blind and about to walk off a cliff?
If they are offended by the question, just apologize and move on, but according to Peter, we should always be ready to show why we have hope... 1 Pe 3:15
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
We have Christ. Let us no wane in our efforts to show Him to a world that doesn't know and fails to understand such a wonderful savior.

Pick up that cross

In Matthew 16:24 it says this; Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
A lot of folks think this means that you must live a tortured existence filled with self denial in order to follow Christ. I'm pretty sure that's not what He meant.
We can look at this statement by Jesus both literally and figuratively. And as I read many of the statements made by those who had written commentaries on this verse, I was surprised to see that the majority had looked at this verse only in the literal sense, which means that Jesus was saying that, “if you follow me you will more than likely will be killed because of it.”
Now although it may be true that there are certainly many people who have been killed because they were Christians, I don’t think that Jesus meant that most or all of those (look at the word ANYONE) who would follow Him would die a tortured death. But I do believe that Jesus was trying to get across to us the point that to follow Him meant that there must, and I don’t mean should, but there must be a lifestyle change. A follower of Christ must have a heart that thinks more highly of others than himself, a heart that is more prone to giving than taking. A heart that is passionate about loving his neighbor. That’s the denying himself part.
Now the take up your cross part: I have heard many people say that to take up your cross is to bear patiently those trials we are given and so it is, but there is so much more than that. If all we did was to endure the trials laid upon us, then we are like bridges that many people pass over yet the bridge gains nothing from the experience. I don’t think that is what God intends for us through trials.
When Jesus said that His followers would “take” up their cross, it implies that there is an action involved. That we would rush to the cross and I am certain that the cross of which he spoke is merely one’s duty. You see, the cross of Christ was His duty. It was that thing for which He had come to earth. It was only through this implement of death, this implement of torture that He would be able to accomplish the mission for which He had come. He had heard the voice of His Father and He knew He must obey that voice with all He had. He was to embrace His cross. He was to run toward His cross and secure salvation for all mankind by that one act.
For each of us, our cross will be different. But it is important that we embrace it and hold it close to our hearts every day of our life, for in that embrace, in that closeness we will discover the fullness of what it means to bring God into our life. Perhaps your particular cross is to become a missionary. Perhaps your cross is to work in the arena of social services. And perhaps your cross is to become a doctor. Whatever it is, it is your mission as a Christian. And it has been put in your life or will be put in your life in order to accomplish two things. And I promise you that your cross, your mission, the goal that God has set for you will always do two things.
Your cross will always help you to show that you love God with all your heart and soul and strength and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. You see, that's what the cross of Christ showed us. That He loved His Father with all His heart, because He obeyed Him and He loved us because He died and rose again to open a door that no man could close. Without His cross we could not enter into rest and without our cross we can not show someone else that kingdom.
So run over and pick up that cross. If you're a mom, be the best mom you can. If you're a janitor, be the best at it that is possible. No matter what you do, do it as unto the Lord and it wil show up that you love your cross. Doesn't matter if it's a trial, tribulation, your job, your mission or just something you do. Hold it close and enjoy it so that one day you will be able to hear Him say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

Heroes

One of the most amazing things to me is that there are so many people in this world with so many God given talents and abilities and they either fail to even recognize their own abilities or to use the ones they have. I mean it would be a shame to allow someone to perish as you sit idly by and watch them.
I watched the news the other day and they showed a person in Austalia floating in the water, holding her little dog,on top of her house, as her house was being moved through an incredible and destructive force of nature. A helicopter floated over her and she made a desperate grab for the rope that dangled from beneath the chopper. She hung on, but lost the dog in the unbelievable raging torrent in which she found herself.
I watched helplessly in my living room at this horrific event. What if the pilot, though aware of what was happening beneath him, just watched and waited for the poor woman and her dog to disappear below the surface of the water. It was because he used his ability to maneuver a machine into a place where it could be used to save the life of this woman that she was somehow spared and saved to live another day. Her dog was lost, and that's sad, but her life was saved. (maybe the dog found his way to land as well, I don't know)
How much is this story like those who call themselves Christians yet watch as those who have no idea of eternity wash away into an eternity of destruction? God has given us all the ability to throw a rope to those who may be sinking beneath the waves, yet some would rather watch as the one in danger floats on by. As we explore our own lives we would do well to do what we can to discover and understand the spiritual gifts with which we are bestowed. And I'm certainly not speaking of the people who harrass you on street corners or come to your door and tell you that if you don't believe their way you'll burn forever in eternity. God will put in your path the ones who need saved. You don't really need to go a-hunting. Just a-looking. Be aware and use your talents and abilities with which God has blessed you to be a hero. Someone was a hero for you just as that pilot was a hero for that lady. If you are paying attention, you might be a hero for someone else and one day you will hear the Lord of Lords speak to you as He puts His arm around you, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." It takes courage to be a hero, and a bit of boldness. But if you truly believe, why would you ignore what your Master has told you? Now get on out there and save someone.

Who's in Charge?

Well, I thought I should update the world on news of my wife. I was encouraged by someone who had read my last blog and decided that it was only right since I opened this can. She is doing much better. She went into the office today and actually worked a few hours. (second time this week) She really has a strong desire to get back to normal and I would rather encourage that than discourage it. She tires so easily though. During her initial surgery she had a stroke and that coupled with "chemo-brain" (yes it's an actual term) her mind is not where it was prior to all that has happened. But I remain confident that God will restore her to her previous self and even if He doesn't, I'm sure He has His reasons. I have learned not to second guess Him. He's God, I'm not. With only two more chemo sessions to go, I'm quite excited to see how it all comes to pass. I just know that He is good and that He is in charge.....which brings me to another event that happened this week.
No doubt everyone has heard of the lone gunman who attempted to assasinate Gabrielle Giffords, killed 6 and wounded many others. Since I live in Arizona, it was an event that affected all who live here. Deeply. Arizona is a place where you can get a gun easily. You can carry a concelaed weapon without any prior training or license. Everyone I know (or very close to it) owns at least one weapon. I own some. That being said, I don't know anyone who has thoughts or desires to ever use their weapons on another human being. If I were protecting my family or myself, I might, but I have not sat in a dimly lit room, rocking back and forth, relishing the thought of taking another human's life. Jared Loughner is a sick person, and I pray for him, his family and those he harmed and their families as well. Who's to blame? Well, when you get right down to it, I believe that all evil comes from satan and is a direct result of his plans and desires to destroy the truth and the light of Christ. God is love and anything short of love does not come from Him.
I am asked often why God allows things such as his to happen. God turned the operation of this world over to our enemy a long time ago. That will change, but that's how it is now. Our job is to focus on truth, and on the light of God. Our mission is to show that light, shine that light and to bring that light forth in all we think, say and do. WE cannot judge nor can we bring forth judgment (at least eternal judgment) on the likes of Jared Loghner, Adolph Hitler or me or you. That is God's job. I preach a lot of funerals. Never have I said that the person who had passed is in heaven partying with God, nor have I said that the deceased is in hell suffering eternal torment. It's not my job. What I have said is that they are in the hands of a merciful God. And that is the truth.
When I think of the way my life and Tina's life has changed so drastically in the last few months, I am just not able to decide how I should feel. I wondered at first why God allows such things to happen to such wonderful people. Would I change all bad things if I could. Probably, but would I make it even worse? Probably. I have trouble running a small operation whose intention is to assist as many people as we can with the limited resources available to us. Not sure I could do a good job with a universe... or even a planet. God is in charge and we are His servants. Seems like a good way for things to be.

Things unexpected

Sometimes life will take a very sharp left turn. So it has happened this past month. My wife had been exhibiting some very strange, but not rare symptoms of not so serious conditions, such as indigestion, pains in the chest and in her arms, headaches and so on. The doctor thought it might be gall bladder. She had it removed. The doctor found me immediately after the surgery and said he found something unusual. Those are words you really don't want to hear. He took a biopsy but it will take a couple of weeks to get the results. (other words you don't want to hear) The results? Ovarian Cancer. (most severe words you don't want to hear)
We had him fax the results to our primary care physician, a friend for many years, to discuss the options. The surgeon had been vague even nonchalant about the treatment possibilities. Our doctor....not so much.. She walked into the exam room with tears in her eyes and sat down across from us. She said, "You know me, I don't beat around the bush" (I like that) "You have stage 4 ovarian cancer."
Now at this point, a bigger hammer would have finished us off, but as we cried with her and then prayed with her, the staggering reality that I might lose my wife, my best friend, my lover, my everything, began to crawl into my brain. We discussed treatment options, etc. and then went home and began to work on it. We now have been in the hospital for five weeks as Tina is this morning preparing to receive her second round of chemo treatment.
I'v almost lost her several times in these five weeks. Three trips to the ICU, many scares, drug reactions and on and on. But here she is, sleeping next to me, fighting this insidious disease that is attempting to take her life from this earth. As she sleeps next to me, I think of all that we have experienced together and I have forgotten anything bad that has happened between us. I have felt guilt for when I wasn't all I should have been as a husband and I have forgiven anything she might have done that hurt me. None of that matters now.
I praise God that He has shown me His light, His love, His unfailing care for both of us throughout this ordeal. I'm not angry at Him, for I know that evil does not come from the One who is love. If she is taken from me, I will still praise Him, but now I own the peace that passes all understanding and am willing to walk that path that places me in a place of giving all I possess or for which I care in order to show it. Quite unexpected.

Thanks

Well, here it is Thanksgiving. What a wonderful holiday that seems to be unique to America. I find it sad that we don't think of every day, or at least a few days a week as Thanksgiving. Forget the turkey and the trimmings (I'm fat enough, already) but how about the real get down on your knees kind of Thanksgiving and tell God how much you appreciate what He's done for you. When you look around you, if you really look around you, you will see a lot of people hurting. And the funny thing is you will see a lot of people hrting more than you. Try this; offer a kind word, a cup of coffee, a hand up of some sort from the dark place they are heading and you will discover two things.
1. You will feel a lot better aobut whatever it is that is plaguing you at the present time...and....
2. You will become that for which they are thankful.
Now, don't you feel better already? Go out and give it a try....go on...See you next time.

Wake up call

I try to refrain from politicizing this space, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult with each passing day. It's very hard to watch our nation being flushed down the drain by those in power and even harder to realize that so many believe that what is happening is for the good of the citizens of the United States. Is it the beginning of the end times? Perhaps. As a preacher, I try to tell my people not to focus on anything or anyone than Jesus, but also to be aware of the times in which you live. To do otherwise is foolish. This is breif, but a warning is now necessary. Wake up America.
I guess the final nail in the coffin for me was last week at Fort Hood. Shouldn't someone have seen that coming? Muslim radicalism is not a good thing. The koran is not a book of peace. It is filled with hate and disgust for everything but its own. That may sound a bit harsh, but that's how I see it. When compared with the bible, which truly is a book of peace, it is found to be a loathsome book that is at the least incendiary and at the worst, provocative and inflammatory.
In the interst of political correctness, those in charge are afraid to say anything bad about the "peaceful" Muslims. Wake up America, before it's too late.

Seemed like a good idea at the time

Holiday weekends are made for something different. My something different was to take a ride on a motorcycle to help raise a little money for Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child. (Yeah, I know. Suffering for the children) We rode through the beautiful mountains of Eastern Arizona, past Sunrise Ski Area through the towns of Eagar and Springerville and looped back to Show Low. Around here, we call it the great circle route. The only problem was that it was raining, not all the way, sometimes it was hailing. At the time it was hailing, I was behind the others a bit (rest area break) so to play catch up I was going fast. I don't know if you've ever encountered hail on a motorcycle, but little bits of ice pelting you at 75-80 mph is a very different experience. Oddly enough, the ride was still very enjoyable. It may be one of those things that you tell your grandchilderen about and embellish so that there are monsters and evil involved and yet we came out victorious. I told one friend who was riding with us to put on my tombstone, "It seemed like a good idea at the time"
We all have those moments in life where we embark on something with the noblest of intentions and whatever it is becomes more tedious than originally anticipated. We just carry on because the inconvenience is still not greater than the goal for which we strive. I wonder if Jesus thought that what he was doing was more than He originally bargained for as He carried that cross up the hill that day. Obviously not, for He completed His mission. I'm sure He was aware of the pain, the suffering, the horrendous sacrifice He was making even though there would be those who would not appreciate His sacrifice and gain from that noble deed even though the reward for acknowledging this incredible gift is eternal life. (Ok there's a little more to it than that)
It is always, at the very least, impolite to not thank someone for their gift to you. But so many, in their ignorance, go beyond that to even mock the Son of God and those who believe in that precious gift. How sad, especially when the gift was given for everyone who lives. My sincere prayer is that no one would meet Jesus one day (and we all will) and when He asks why you didn't believe in the gift of God your answer is, "Seemed like a good idea at the time." What an eternally wrong statement.
I was once on that side of the fence. I am so glad we serve a merciful God. You think about some very different things while on a motorcycle.

Becoming a disciple

Every once in a while we have the opportunity to both refresh and grow at the same time. This past week was one of those times for me. I spent the week at Salvation Army Officer's Councils which would in and of itself give the impression that we were preparing for war. And in the strictest sense of the word, we were. You see we understand that we " do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) And because we understand that we prepare for the battle.
Time was spent rediscovering holiness and discipleship, without both of which, we are powerless against the enemy of our souls. I find it very difficult to live the life of a disciple, though, without first fitting into a life of holiness. God is holy and so expects holiness from his people. (1Peter 1:16) And what I had reaffirmed this week is that our personal holiness is only made possible by the presence of God.
When God told Moses to take off his shoes because he stood on holy ground, the ground had been made holy by the presence of God, and nothing else. I strive for His presence in my life and reach out for His holiness, not my own. He is able to make me holy and there is no other way to achieve it. No rituals, no nothing can bring me into His presence but if He is present with me at all times, then His holiness remains with me at all times and because of this, I am made holy. I don't believe that holiness in this sense means that we are "set apart" but rather that we are touched by the Lord God of heaven and made holy by that touch.
What an awesome thing it is to stand before the creator and be able to both speak to Him and to hear His voice. Renewing is necessary and not just once in a while, but every day so that we come to Him refreshed and alive, able to know that we don't have to wait until the next life to become Holy vessels used by God to do His will. It's a great thing to be used by God, but if we become disciples made holy by His presence in our lives, our use is magnified and He is better able to use our talents for His glory.

Perspective

I was pretty amazed at the hype over Michael Jacksons death then memorial. A friend sent me a post from another man...here it is:
With no disrespect intended to the Jackson family, this sure does reveal the shallowness of our value system in this country.
This puts things into perspective:While the focus today, tomorrow and for the next God-knows-how- many-days will be the death of a pop culture icon; while many will mourn, wail and quite literally make fools of themselves over it and while as many will speak endlessly about it, allow me, if only for a moment, to remind us all that others have died this month; others whose lives were cut short; others who leave behind loved ones and whose families will dearly miss them; families who'll suffer with much more dignity and honor than we'll be exposed to on the tube in the coming days. Yes... it's true... we've suffered a great loss... but forgive me while I tell you that I'm not talking about the king of pop music.
These American military members died in Iraq this month:
Sergeant Justin J. Duffy
Specialist Christopher M. Kurth
Specialist Charles D. Parrish
Lance Corporal Robert D. Ulmer
Staff Sergeant Edmond L. Lo
Sergeant Joshua W. Soto
Captain Kafele H. Sims
Specialist Chancellor A. Keesling

And these members of our U.S. Armed Forces died in Afghanistan this month:
Sergeant Jones, Ricky D.
Specialist Munguia Rivas, Rodrigo A.
Command Master Chief Petty Officer Garber, Jeffrey J.
1st Sergeant Blair, John D.Sergeant Smith, Paul G.
Staff Sergeant Melton, Joshua
Sergeant 1st Class Dupont, Kevin A.
Specialist O'Neill, Jonathan C.
Chief Warrant Officer Richardson Jr., Ricky L.
Specialist Silva, Eduardo S.
Lance Corporal Whittle, Joshua R.
Major Barnes, Rocco M.
Major Jenrette, Kevin M.
Staff Sergeant Beale, John C.
Specialist Jordan, Jeffrey W.
Specialist Griemel, Jarrett P.
Specialist Hernandez I, Roberto A.
Sergeant Obakrairur, Jasper K.
Staff Sergeant Hall, Jeffrey A.
Private 1st Class Ogden, Matthew D.
Private 1st Class Wilson, Matthew W.

Let's remember and honor this day those whose deaths are truly impacting our Freedom and Liberty
This came from Captain Jake Cutter.....all I can do is stand up and salute these brave soldiers who have laid down their lives so we can live free. Thank you

America, what happened?

On this 4th of July eve eve, I am contemplating the direction of America. I try to keep this space positive, but I have seen such a sadness take over our dear country in the last few months (perhaps even the last few years) that I am confused, bewildered and more than just a little ticked off by it all. The "news" about Michael Jackson's death gets more airtime than the middle east, wars around the world, North Korea and Hugo Chavez combined. Yes the man was talented, but I thought much more of Farrah Fawcett or Ed McMahon than him.
And how is it that our beloved America is beginning to look like a communist country? Government taking over businesses is a very scary beginning to things. The welfare state that has been developing over the last 40 YEARS is more than a little scary as well. I mean, I work in the social services arena and we never have a problem giving someone a hand up, but I don't much care for handouts. My wife has a saying she repeats to all in our homeless program as well as some others. "I am here to run alongside you, but I won't drag you down the road."
I worked with many Katrina evacuees and know many who work in agencies in New Orleans. The residents of New Orleans were never taught that they need to help themselves. Everyone just went in and did it for them. There is a time when that's appropriate, but when an able bodied man stands and watches others rebuild his house, I think it's time to grab him by the shoulders and shake him awake. When a perfectly healthy young woman watches while others go in a clean her house and bring her food and yet she refuses to even look for work, it just isn't right. But I'm afraid we did that to ourselves.
I work in disasters every year. I worked hurricane Ike last year. The people of Galveston, Houston, Pasadena and Beaumont just rolled up their sleeves and got to work. We brought them (along with many others) food twice a day, and in fact while I was there, we passed our two millionth meal from that disaster. But the work went on and was being done by those who lived there, by those who had lost all or nearly all.
It used to be that neighbors helped neighbors recover from any tragedy that struck, whether it was personal or widespread. It was the Christian thing to do. Now we don't know our neighbors and we sure don't want to help them, because they may be cooking meth in their house or it might be filled with illegal aliens. We'll just let the government help everyone now, if they really need help.
I apologize if I sound a little (or a lot) depressing, angry, or whatever. I'm not really, I'm just disappointed. I didn't want it to be like this. Our founders didn't see this coming, I'm sure. This 4th of July, I'll go wave a flag, barbecue with friends, watch fireworks and do all the things that Americans do on the 4th, even if they don't know what the 4th of July means. And I'll try to pass on to my children some sense of patriotism so that at least some Americans will remember that this nation was founded by the people, of the people and for the people so that we could write blogs, read dissenting viewpoints, live, love and cherish one another until God calls us home. Maranatha!

Being a survivor

I find myself preparing for something I hope never happens. That's so sad. I've been praying intensely for America. Then I suddenly came to the realization that no matter what happens, it is all in the hands of God. (I guess that wasn't such a sudden revelation) I will continue praying, but I am concerned for those who are not ready for any contingency. We must get ready for whatever happens. Stock up on food if you can. Be ready for anything. Be a survivor.
Yesterday, one of my parishoners, an 84 year young lady was preparing to move back to Oklahoma and when she was getting ready to leave she became quite ill and was hospitalized. Her little sister (76 years) was stuck alone and afraid so my wife went to comfort her and I went to the hospital. Well family is coming to take little sister back home and it she's unable to fly, one of our church fellas and myself will drive her back home. She kept weeping, saying, "I just want to go home". In my business that can mean something quite different. Anyway she wants to go fishing in Oklahoma one more time. It's in the hands of God. I'll help if I can, and she's getting ready to go home....either way. She's a survivor.
We all need to prepare spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally for everything that comes our way, and putting preparation off won't make difficult circumstances dissipate. In fact, that will worsen the situation. I work in disasters all the time. We call those who make it through a disaster survivors, while those who don't are called victims. Don't be a victim, don't play a victim. Be a survivor.
Preparing spiritually is the easiest as far as preparation but is the one thing that gets ignored the most. We wait until we're neck deep in the flood and then cry out to God. Would have been a good idea to perhaps get yourself ready beforehand. And preparing spiritually will certainly help the other three fall in line. Be a survivor